After two years of declining applications following the frenzies of 2014 and 2015, the preliminary numbers for 2018 appear to be signaling a major uptick in activity. Year-over-year filings of new residential units have grown substantially, rising from 9,134 in the first six months of 2017, to 15,305 in 2018 — an increase of 67.5%.

The uptick has been spread through each borough, with all five seeing year-over-year improvements in their DOB new unit counts. The biggest change has ...